White House: Dems Are ‘Obstructionist Losers’ For Forcing Shutdown

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a scathing statement blaming Senate Democrats for forcing a government shutdown early Saturday morning.

“Senate Democrats own the Schumer Shutdown. Tonight, they put politics above our national security, military families, vulnerable children, and our country’s ability to serve all Americans,” Sanders said in a statement. “We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands. This is the behavior of obstructionist losers, not legislators.”

Democratic lawmakers forced a shutdown amidst frustration over lack of progress in reaching a deal to protect illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as minors. White House director of legislative affairs Marc Short however told reporters Friday there were no specific demands of bill text to negotiate over the shutdown saying it was more about “politics, not policy.”

Schumer himself did not appear to demand anything in particular to end the shutdown telling reporters “every American knows the Republican Party controls the White House, the Senate, the House,” adding “it’s their job to keep the government open.”

Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney said the Trump administration would keep some services open like national parks and the TSA. Federal workers, including U.S. troops, firefighters, and border patrol authorities, will however be forced to work without pay.